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Todos os capítulos de Ashes Of His Regret : Capítulo 91 - Capítulo 100

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Chapter 91

JULIAN'S POV I'm in my temporary apartment...the one I can barely afford—staring at my phone. Willing it to ring. It doesn't. My lawyer calls instead. "Julian. The board meeting is in an hour. You need to be there." "What's the point? They're voting me out anyway." "Maybe. But you should still show up. Defend yourself." "With what? I'm under a federal investigation. My assets are frozen. I have no defense." "Then at least go out with dignity." Dignity. I almost laugh. I lost my dignity months ago. "Fine. I'll be there." ********************* The board room feels like a funeral. Nine faces staring at me. Hargrove at the head of the table. "Julian. Thank you for coming." "Did I have a choice?" "Not really." He doesn't smile. "The board has reviewed the situation. The SEC investigation. The frozen assets. The public scrutiny. We've decided it's in the company's best interest if you step down as CEO effective immediately." I knew it was coming. Doesn't make it easier.

Chapter 92

DAMIEN'S POV Marcus spreads the files across my desk. "This is everything. Every transaction. Every offshore account. Every email. It's airtight." I flip through the evidence. Eight years of planning. Condensed into manila folders. "When do we release it?" I ask. "That's up to you. Or—" He pauses. "Up to Esmeralda." Right. Esmeralda. The woman who's been distant for days. The woman who won't tell me what she's thinking. The woman who's still getting calls from Julian. "She needs to see him," I say. "One more time." "Why?" "Because she needs closure. Or revenge. Or—I don't know. She won't tell me." Marcus sits down. "Are you okay with that? Her seeing him?" "No. But I don't have a choice." "You always have a choice." "Do I? Because every time I suggest releasing the evidence now, finishing this without her having to see him again, she shuts down. Says she needs to do it her way." "And what's her way?" "I don't know. She won't tell me that either." Marcus is quiet fo

Chapter 93

ESMERALDA'S POV Dr. Chen's office is exactly what I expected. Warm lighting. Comfortable couch. Tissues strategically placed. She's in her fifties. Kind eyes. Professional smile. "Esmeralda. Thank you for coming. How are you feeling today?" Loaded question. "Conflicted." "About?" "Everything. My ex-husband. My current husband. Revenge. Healing. All of it." She nods. Writes something down. "Let's start with why you're here. What brought you to therapy?" I take a breath. "I lost a baby eight months ago. My husband—ex-husband—left me alone in the hospital. Filed for divorce while I was still grieving. Destroyed my father's company. Married someone else. And now I'm—" I stop. "I'm planning to destroy him back. And I don't know if that makes me strong or broken." "Why does it have to be one or the other?" "Because strong people don't need revenge. They heal and move on." "Says who?" The question catches me off guard. "Everyone?" "I think you'll find that's not true. Reveng

CHAPTER 94

LILA'S POVEsmeralda looks exhausted.We're at lunch...a quiet café in SoHo—and she's barely touched her food.Just pushing salad around her plate."You okay?" I ask."Define okay.""Fair point."She sets down her fork. "Therapy was hard. She asked me what I actually need from Julian to heal. And I don't know. I thought I knew. But now—""Now you're questioning everything.""Yes."I take a sip of coffee. "Can I be honest with you?""Always.""I don't think you need anything from Julian."She looks up. "What?""I don't think destroying him will fix anything. I think you're using revenge as a distraction from actual healing.""That's not—""It is. And you know it. That's why you're stalling. Why you haven't released the evidence yet. Why you keep going to therapy and asking the same questions."She's quiet."You think I'm wrong?" I ask."No. I think you're right. And I hate it.""Why do you hate it?""Because if revenge won't fix me, then I have to do the actual work. And the actual wor

CHAPTER 95

ESMERALDA'S POVI make the decision on a Tuesday.After my second therapy session.After another conversation with Damien that went nowhere.After staring at Julian's last voicemail for an hour without listening to it.I'm going to see him.One more time.Not for closure...Lila's right, closure is a myth.Not for revenge....though that's part of it.But because I need to look him in the eye and know:Am I over him?Or am I just pretending to be?************************I call Marcus first."I need you to set something up.""What kind of something?""A hotel suite. Hotel Carlyle. Private. Secure. I need it tomorrow night.""For?""Julian."Silence."Does Damien know about this?""Not yet. But he will.""Esmeralda—""Just set it up, Marcus. Please."He sighs. "Okay. What time?""8 PM. And Marcus?""Yeah?""I need it wired. Audio and video. Everything recorded."Another pause."You're going to seduce him. Get him on record.""Maybe. I don't know yet. I just—I need options.""Does this

CHAPTER 96

JULIAN'S POVThe TV producer calls on Wednesday morning."Mr. Voss, we'd love to have you on the show. A chance to tell your side of the story."My side of the story.The side where I destroyed my marriage, my company, my life."What show?""Morning Manhattan. We're doing a segment on high-profile divorces and redemption. Given your recent...situation...we thought you'd be perfect."Perfect.Right."When?""Tomorrow morning. 9 AM. Live broadcast."Tomorrow.The day before I see Esmeralda."I'll do it.""Excellent. We'll send a car at 8."She hangs up.I sit there thinking:This could be my chance.My chance to reach Esmeralda publicly.To show her I've changed.To prove I'm serious.*************************The next morning, I'm in the green room at 8:30.Makeup artist trying to cover the dark circles under my eyes."You look tired," she says."I am tired.""Well, we'll do our best."The host.......Amanda Chen, perky and professionalstops by."Julian, hi! Thanks so much for doing thi

CHAPTER 97

DAMIEN'S POVMarcus calls at 9:07 AM."Turn on Morning Manhattan. Now.""Why?""Just do it."I turn on the TV.And there's Julian Voss.On national television.Looking broken and desperate.Talking about Esmeralda."...leaving you was the biggest mistake of my life..."My blood runs cold."...if there's any chance, any possibility that you'd give me another opportunity...""Fuck," I breathe.Marcus is still on the phone."Are you watching?""Yes.""This is bad.""I know.""I love her. I've always loved her. And I'll do anything to prove it."The camera pans to the audience.Women crying. People applauding.A public declaration of love.On live television."Damien, you still there?""Yeah.""What do we do?""Nothing. We do nothing.""Nothing? He just declared his love for your wife on national TV—""And it changes nothing. She's seeing him tomorrow anyway. This just—" I stop. "This makes him look more desperate. More pathetic. It actually helps us.""You sure about that?"Am I?"Yes.

Chapter 98

ESMERALDA'S POVI wake up at 6 AM.The day of.Damien's already awake. Sitting in the chair by the window.Just watching me."How long have you been up?" I ask."A while.""Couldn't sleep?""No."I sit up. "Damien""Don't. Don't try to make me feel better. I'm allowed to be terrified.""I know.""Do you? Because you seem calm. Almost...peaceful."Am I?"I'm not peaceful. I'm just...resolved. I know what I'm doing tonight. And I'm ready.""And what are you doing?""Getting closure. Ending this. Coming home to you."He stands. Walks to the bed."What if seeing him changes things?""It won't.""But what if it does? What if you walk in that room and he's—" He stops. "Different. Changed. Actually worthy of you?""He's not.""How do you know? You haven't seen him since he did that interview."The interview.Right.The one where he publicly declared his love on national television."I saw it," I say quietly."And?""And it doesn't change anything.""You're sure?""Yes. It was desperate. Mani

CHAPTER 99

ESMERALDA'S POV I walk into the suite as the door closes behind me with a soft click. Julian's staring at me like I'm a miracle. "You came," he says again. Like he can't believe it. "I said I would." The suite is exactly as Marcus arranged it. Living room. Bedroom visible through an open door. Floor-to-ceiling windows. Champagne on ice. Dom Pérignon. And hidden in the smoke detector, the lamp, the clock... Recording devices. Every word. Every movement. All being captured. "You look beautiful," Julian says. "Thank you." He's nervous. Fidgeting with his hands. Thinner than I remember. Dark circles under his eyes. Broken. Good. "Should we sit?" I ask. "Yes. Please." We sit on the couch. I make sure to angle myself toward the camera hidden in the bookshelf. Everything needs to be clear. Visible. Usable. "I saw your interview," I say. His face lights up. "You did?" "The whole world did, Julian." "I meant every word. I love you. I've always loved you." "Have you?"

CHAPTER 100

JULIAN'S POV She's listening, really listening, not judging. Not walking away,nJust....listening. Maybe I actually have a chance, maybe honesty is working. "The offshore accounts started five years ago," I tell her. "My CFO suggested them. Said it was standard practice for companies our size." "But it's illegal." "Technically. But everyone does it. The penalties if you're caught are minimal compared to the tax savings." "How much did you save?" "Maybe forty million over five years." She doesn't flinch. Just nods. "What else?" "The insider trading. That was..." I pause. "That was more deliberate. I had information. Opportunities. I took them." "How many times?" "Maybe a dozen deals. Over three years." "Total profit?" "Twenty-three million. Give or take." "And Morrison Manufacturing. Tell me exactly what you did." This is harder. Because she knows it was personal. "I identified your father's company as a strategic acquisition. But the valuation was too high. So I engine

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